Style for Life

In this episode Amanda from the  Christchurch preloved clothing store 'To Be Continued Preloved' traverses the best way to buy pre loved clothing and shares all of her industry insights.  She has been in business selling pre loved clothing for over 10 years and has an impeccable eye for pieces that she knows you will love.   She also shares some tips and tricks to get the best out of pre loved clo...

There is a common myth that looking great is directly correlated to spending heaps of money.  This is a fallacy.   This weeks podcast explores all the ways you can look and feel great without spending heaps of money on clothes. My 10 top tips on how to do this include:   Know what suits you – colour,  style and personality Shop for items on sale Shop outside the current season - swimwear in winter...

One of the things I am very passionate about is the fabric or more specifically the fibre that garments are made from.  The fibre content of the garments you wear has a big impact on so many aspects of the fit,  cost,  performance,  look, drape and handle (how the fabric feels next to your skin) of a garment.   In this podcast I explore the difference between man made and natural fibres and cover...

I often hear people commenting that they are really busy or do not have time or capacity to do something or interact.   In this podcast I explore the causes or perceived causes of busyness and what to do about it.  I explore the psychological roots or busyness and what are some practical time management tools for managing a busy life.   Thank you for listening to this podcast and for being a suppo...

Almost everyone I work with wants me to help them curate a capsule wardrobe.   This podcast covers off the key pieces that make up a winter capsule wardrobe and how to put them all together.   A winter capsule wardrobe is made up of around 12 pieces consisting of:   1 -2 Jackets / blazers / cardigan 5 -6  tops  1 - 2 skirt or dress 2 trousers  Restricting the wardrobe to 3 -4 colours with 1 -2 her...

Super commonly I get asked 'how much should I spend on my wardrobe' every year?    In this podcast I discuss how much is enough and how to plan your finances around your wardrobe. There are so many reasons why people don't shop,  plan or look after their wardrobes.  Style takes effort, budgeting and commitment.      In this episode I  cover off why people don't buy clothes,  how to overcome some o...

This week I decided to source some garments from four local retailers at different price points to showcase what is trending for Winter 2026 here on the ground in Christchurch. Overall some trends emerged that seem to be here to stay: 1. Barrel leg trousers and jeans 2. Chocolate brown (still staying strong from summer and autumn). 3. Patterned, coloured and monogrammed knitwear 4. Skirts 5. The p...

One of the most common things I see when I deal with women is the mindset that everyone else's needs are more important than theirs.  This podcast explores the reasons why women often put themselves last and the impact of this choice.   I also look at how to change this mentality and the benefits of doing so.   Thank you to Image Innovators for their sponsorship of the podcast  https://imageinnova...

So often when we get ill or injured our first response is to stop all activity especially exercise and hope that doing vey little will allow us to heal or recover.  There is definite merit in this approach in some cases and it is important that you work with your medical professional on what works for you.  However there is much evidence that movement is one of the greatest elixers.      In this w...

Having clothes that transcend both colder and warmer seasons can be challenging.   In this episode I discuss how to wear your summer clothes in the cooler months and still look stylish. I talk about how to add layers underneath your  tops, dresses or shirts so you can still stay warm and how to remove layers when you get hot without pulling apart your outfit.   This episode has good visuals so jum...

Such a great chat this week about styling and AI.  In this podcast Clare Maxfield (Image Innovators) and I unpack the pros and cons of using AI in the styling space.     

It was my absolute privilege to have the lovely Sheena Hemens on the show this week.   She shared her story of extraordinary resilience after many hard life setbacks then the unimaginable grief she experienced after losing her daughter Lauren.     Listen this week to hear how she came back from ultimate grief  and many other of life's challenges and still manages to show up today.     Thank you Sh...

Travelling to Niue – small pacific island 3.5hours travel from Auckland. Very warm and humid and small population of 1260 permanent residents.   Staying in self catering. Only one food delivery per month from NZ. Humid 88% humidity Can rain   Niue Casual Clothing · 4 Singlets/T-Shirts · 2 Light blouses/shirts to cover the shoulders for church and sun protection · 2 Shorts/skirts which are not too...

Its getting stormy and cool.  The leaves are turning orange and red.  At this time of the year we say goodbye to summer and welcome in the cooler weather.  With that often brings a rethink of our wardrobes.     Fashion is cyclical and styles very often repeat with slight nuances and changes.  It our job as stylists to help guide you into the new season with some suggestions as to how to stay up to...

One of the things I have noticed as I age is how I have less capacity to take new things on.   I have spoken to numerous others who also find that they experience the same.   It can be frustrating and feel limiting.  This podcast examines what human capacity is,  what controls it and how we can look after ourselves better.     Don't forget to also check out my blog which deep dives a little furthe...

Almost every client I work with struggles in way or another to find jeans that work for them that they feel good in. This podcast unpacks body shapes and jeans styles and how to marry them together. if you have always found buying jeans a struggle for whatever reason then have a listen and head out this weekend to source your best jeans. Check out my blog for all of the images and details about wh...

Diabetes is rife in New Zealand and with so many people presenting with it I thought it was time to chat to an expert on this and fill in the gaps.    Clara Fergus is a dietitian who has embarked on a PhD looking at the efficacy of continuous glucose monitors and other diabetes-management strategies such as insulin pumps. She shared some very enlightening insights on diabetes and also some great t...

In this episode I interview my husband David Rumble about his experience of marriage and being married for 30years and I share my thoughts.   We lament on the challenges and highs of being together so long and we both offer some insights that have worked for us.   This episode is dedicated to him and the life we have created.     Many thanks to our premium sponsor Clare from Image Innovators https...

This week I interviewed Maxene London.  She is an expert in all things podcasting and I wanted to share  how the journey and business of podcasting  has evolved over time.  Maxene is only 29 and has worked in some really interesting places and has so many insights that open up the discussion about podcasting and also help dispel  any myths.  She is a podcast consultant and has also been a judge at...

Sometimes I find that clients are not sure which fashion brands will suit their life,  body and even personal preferences.   In this episode I unpack what to look for in a fashion brand,  how to choose a fashion designer (brand) that you you resonate with and give you some industry insights into our New Zealand fashion industry.    Please note that I have done my best to mention all the brands I h...

Weddings in any culture are fun and a great celebration for everyone involved.   Much of my work as a stylist leading into wedding season is helping guests and parents of the bridal party select clothes that are appropriate and feel right for the wearer.   This podcast unpacks how to navigate the journey of dressing for a wedding.  Dress codes are covered and key points include:   Wearing white? W...

For the past two years my husband David has been attending a mens walking group on a Sunday morning.  As well as being a good physical challenge it has also been a very positive experience for connecting with other men from all different walks of life.   This group was started 10years ago by Rev Paul Morrow who has invited men who in turn have invited other men.  On the last count when he looked a...

In this episode Stephanie explores the basis and need for human connection.  She covers off what it is and how we can improve our relationships by being better connected to each other.  In a world where much of our connection has moved online the way we connect has changed and there is an impact.    This episode also discusses loneliness which can be the end result of no connection.  Sometimes lon...

In this episode as the summer here in New Zealand is (mostly lol) in full swing Stephanie unpacks what she is seeing the the shops that you can buy now.   Stephanie explains how to wear these trends and also how things can be recycled from years gone by...   The trends explored in this issue are:  1. Chocolate brown  2. Long full skirts  3. Co-ords - this is matching tops and bottoms  4. The Panto...

At this busy time of the year, it is really challenging to find time to prioritise self-care.  In this episode, Stephanie discusses the stats around exercise adherence and reiterates the recommended guidelines for exercise.  She also covers the common barriers to exercise and what the health impacts are of not exercising.    She then gives some top tips to get you moving at this time of the year: ...